Thursday, February 3, 2011

Now to conclude TWO KINDS OF COURAGE. The act of snipping the hanging crystal element from the bottom of the piece, as seen in last posting, immediately frees the piece and the first thing to happen is a decision to upend the trap jaw, so it will now hang over the elements rather than be suspended under.

With that in mind, I can prepare the assembly to join to the trap jaw.

A small hole where the brass frame will be pinned in place, using a cotter-pin type attachment.

Once that has happened, I can turn my focus to creating a plate with the title to hang below. A sketch of the form gets my head around what needs to happen.

The plate being prepared.

After changing the chain to work properly with the new plate, it is attached. I like this form, as the plate with chain visually completes the semicircle of the trap jaw, without being too obvious.

Now to the chain. As the pendant is quite massive and blocky, I begin on making a chain of equal proportions. I'm using some antique spiral shank nails.

Finished. (Nailed it?)

Now drilling the jaw to attach the chain.

The links that will act as bails between chain and pendant.

After choosing the heaviest leather cord I've ever used for a piece, I make industrially large brass bail ends to connect leather to chain. Here they're still wet with patina, and soon to be polished.

First thing I always do on completion is to try it on, to make sure the proportions work on the body. This is one of the 'densest', most medallion-like pieces I've made.